I am looking at adding stationary decoders to my lay out and am wondering what experiences everyone has had with them. Since I am using Digitrax and Tortoise machines I am leaning towards the DS-64's but have read some good things about the Wabbit. A lot of the articles I found are dated with not much information on the DS-64.
I am only looking to control my Torties for now but may want to add signal lights for the switches down the road.
Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I would like to know what you are using and why you selected that decoder and any problems you may have had.
Thanks,
MC
Personally, I use the NCE Switch-It and have had good luck with them. The Wabbit to me is overpriced for what you get. I have never tried a Digitrax.
I have NCE DCC system and decided to use the DS-64. I like it and it will do what you want. As for the lights (LEDs), there are two ways to implement them. Neither are wired directly to the DS-64.
One is to wire the LEDs in series with the tortoise power wires. See the tortoise instructions. No dropping resistors are required.
Two, is to use the aux contact switches on the tortoise. If you use them, you will have to provide external power plus dropping resistors for the LEDs.
The DS-64 will allow you to control the tortoise from a local control panel, and also through LocoNet, or through the track signal. Since you have Digitrax DCC, LocoNet control should be used. Use a PS-14 to power the 64. The 64 allows for easy wiring too. two wires out to the tortoise, and two or three wires to your control panel switch. The way I set mine up is to use the sensor inputs as part of the control panel switch wiring, and use a SPDT switch. After you have them wired up this way, you can come back later and add the LEDs for the switch direction indication on the layout. Each 64 output will power at least two tortoise's used in a crossover. You may be able to power as many as four, for a double crossover from one output.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Thanks guys. I believe I will go with the DS-64.
I have 8 DS64s. They all work great.
I have not used any others.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I am in the process of building my layout and want to have the same - tortise turnout controls with the addition of signals and leds - I was looking into the DS-64 myself (I have a Zephyer) -- but i'm finding a special combo price at Tony's - a Wabbit - 2 tortises and edge connectors for less than 1 DS -64 - as much as I'd like to stay all Digitrax - this looks like a better deal to me
afzski,
I was thinking the same thing until I discovered that the Wabbit only controls two turnouts instead of four like the DS-64. I also found out that I can power my lights through the Tortoies machines.
A member at one of the local RR clubs told me the Wabbit was a lot harder to program. I haven't used either one so I can't confirm any of that but I believe I will stick with Digitrax
Remember too, that you can program eight routes, of up to 8 addresses each, into each DS64. And those addresses can be other routes, too (nested routes). I'm pretty sure the Wabbit doesn't have that kind of ability.
And the DS64 has feedback into the Loconet, the Wabbit doesn't. The blurb on the Wabbit says it has feedback - but this is only if you use an additional accessory like the inputs on a DS64 for Loconet or an AUI for NCE. If you want an inexpensive stationary decoder than only operates Tortoises (the DS64 can do many types of switch motors, plus stuff totally unrelated to operatign turnouts), check out the NCE Switch-It, which controls 2 Tortoises, or the Switch-8 which controls 8.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Phoebe Vet I have 8 DS64s. They all work great. I have not used any others.
Same here. I have 8 DS64s and they work great. As others have mentioned the ability to do cascaded routes, have control from both Loconet (i.e. a throtlle, software like Panel Pro and similar) and multiple pwoering options were the keys for me. I have a yard with 7 tracks in it. I use 3 DS64s for the yard and have a cascaded route address assigned to each track. I just enter the route address for the target track and the DS64s move all of the Tortoises. I also have a clear route which sets them all back to default.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Hey All -- thanks for all the info - I see the versatility of the DS-64 - but can you also program it to do "Auto-Throw" as the Wabbitt - I have looked in the manuel but do not see how that function would be developed - or would that go to the input terminals for each Tortise???
Alex
I do not have any stationary decoders on my layout at the present time. And, I have over 60 Tortoise powered turnouts so the conversion from DPDT switches to DS-64's would be expensive.
I also have my throttles tethered to UTP panels around the layout, so conversion to wireless would be another expense.
But you guys got me thinking. Wireless throttles and programmed stationary decoders. Yowsa!
I could sit in a chair, drinking beers, and never have to walkaround the layout again?
How many of you operate wireless with stationary decoders?
Rich
Alton Junction
After I posted my question, I started to re-read this thread and now I am confused.
If you wire a stationary decoder to a turnout, why do you need to wire anything to a control panel.
What am I missing here?
richhotrain I do not have any stationary decoders on my layout at the present time. And, I have over 60 Tortoise powered turnouts so the conversion from DPDT switches to DS-64's would be expensive. I also have my throttles tethered to UTP panels around the layout, so conversion to wireless would be another expense. But you guys got me thinking. Wireless throttles and programmed stationary decoders. Yowsa! I could sit in a chair, drinking beers, and never have to walkaround the layout again? How many of you operate wireless with stationary decoders? Rich
I do.
richhotrain After I posted my question, I started to re-read this thread and now I am confused. If you wire a stationary decoder to a turnout, why do you need to wire anything to a control panel. What am I missing here? Rich
With stationary decoders, you don't have to wire anything to a control panel.
It's just that some of them (such as the DS64) have external inputs that can be used for local control as well as for other purposes.
Just another option should you choose to use it.
Stevert richhotrain: After I posted my question, I started to re-read this thread and now I am confused. If you wire a stationary decoder to a turnout, why do you need to wire anything to a control panel. What am I missing here? Rich With stationary decoders, you don't have to wire anything to a control panel. It's just that some of them (such as the DS64) have external inputs that can be used for local control as well as for other purposes. Just another option should you choose to use it.
richhotrain: After I posted my question, I started to re-read this thread and now I am confused. If you wire a stationary decoder to a turnout, why do you need to wire anything to a control panel. What am I missing here? Rich
Thanks, Stevert, before I read your response, which was reassuring, I went onto the NCE web site to read about the Switch-It and learned that wiring to the control panel is not essential, just optional.
I have stationary decoders on my layout because I want the Dispatcher to be able to control turnouts. I have it setup so the dispatcher has master control of all the mainline switches. There are control panels throughout the layout but the dispatchers decides which switches the local operator can or cannot use (on the main line) Turnouts not on main on passing siding are not controlled by the dispatcher and do not require a stationary decoder. Each control panel is hooked up to a DS-64 stationary decoder. The DS-64 allows you configure the inputs to either directly trigger the switch or have it send a general sensor message to loconet (and ultimately my computer) which will determine if local control has been granted.
More info on how my stationary decoders are set up can be found here.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
DS 64s do not have auto throw like the Wabbit does. Also the cost of two Wabbits is less than the cost of one DS64.
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If everybody is thinking alike, then nobody is really thinking
No they're not, Wabbits are $27.95 each, a DS64 is $50.
A Wabbit also does not have position reporting, to get that you need the $35.95 Wabbit-FB PLUS you will still need some sort of input device for your DCC system - the 'feedback' on the Wabbit and other of the DCC Specialities products is nothing more than a contact closure, which you need to hook to an appropriate inpute device - ports on a DS64 or SE8C or Tower Controller or LocoIO for Digitrax, AIU for NCE, and the LI-FB I think it's called for Lenz.
DS64 offers included feedback to Loconet, 8 inputs for either local control or other input (block detectors, etc) or combination thereof, and it works with all types of switch motors - Tortoises, Atlas, Peco, Kato, and others. And it can drive crossing flashers and gates, too.